be；　in　fact；　〃no。〃　If　trouble　is　best　managed　〃before　it　becomes　troublesome；〃　then　we　are　clearly　being　asked　to　perceive　the　grown　tree；　the　tower；　and　the　long　journey；　as　the　metaphorical　consequences　of　〃unmanaged　trouble。〃　This　tilt　in　perspective　gives　the　poem　a　pragmatic　message；　which　is　consistent　with　Lao　Tzu's　insight　from　other　verses；　particularly　with　regard　to　the　metaphor　of　the　long　journey。
  In　other　places；　Lao　Tzu　reminds　us　that　we　can　know　the　whole　world　without　leaving　our　doorway；　and　that　the　outer　wanderer　too　easily　gets　trapped　in　a　net　of　attachment。　Thus；　Lao　Tzu　would　consider　the　〃long　journey〃　to　be　the　consequence　of　having　failed　to　identify　and　retreat　from　the　many　short　and　early　steps　of　ego。　This　is　why　the　follower　of　Tao　〃monitors　desire　＇and＇　retreats　from　attachment〃：　so　that　his　self…awareness　prevents　the　necessity　of　taking　any　〃long　journeys〃梡ointless　and　dangerous　odysseys　of　seeking　and　yearning。　The　farther　we　wander；　the　more　do　we　become　attached　to　the　saga；　until　we　are　trapped　in　a　net　of　seeking。　This　leads　to　increasing　misdirection　and　suffering；　so　that　the　way　of　return　is　made　ever　more　difficult；　as　Odysseus　himself　discovers　in　Homer's　epic　poem。
  There　is　another　crucial　point　being　made　in　this　verse；　which　is　particularly　significant　to　our　time　and　culture；　and　it　is　about　time　and　completion。　Lao　Tzu　warns　us　of　the　danger　of　〃collapse　in　failure〃　at　the　very　brink　of　success；　and　he　stresses　the　importance　of　humility　and　caution；　especially　near　the　end　of　a　project　or　undertaking。　For　this　is　where　the　ego's　urge　for　completion　is　most　likely　to　become　careless　or　obsessive。
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  There　were　those　of　old　who　knew　the　Way；
  And　loved　it　in　their　daily　lives。
  They　did　not　preach　enlightenment；
  Or　practice　deceit　among　the　people。
  They　lived　well　because　they　lived　simply。
  Now　with　trickery　and　brilliance
  Are　the　people　governed；
  And　yet　with　the　utmost　difficulty！
  A　country　ruled　with　cleverness
  Is　a　country　gone　to　waste。
  Govern　your　country　in　simple　innocence；
  And　it　will　be　blessed　among　nations。
  Remaining　aware　of　the　alternatives；
  Our　conduct　may　be　correctly　guided。
  Holding　fast　to　this　guiding　awareness
  Is　the　action　of　natural　virtue。
  Natural　virtue　comes　from　clarity…
  The　resonant　clarity　of　the　Cosmic　Source。
  It　draws　us　back　within；　to　the　Original　Essence…
  The　great　Harmonic；　which　may　be　touched
  Every　day　in　loving　gratitude。
  People　are　not　by　nature　stupid　and　submissive；　as　some　would　make　them　out　to　be。　This　is　why　it　is　so　difficult　to　govern　them　with　〃trickery　and　brilliance；〃　because　they　can　inwardly　read　deceit　and　corruption　in　a　leader；　even　if　they　appear　to　go　along　with　the　program。
  〃A　country　ruled　with　cleverness〃　is　one　whose　leaders　have　set　themselves　above　and　apart　from　the　people。　It　is　as　if　such　leaders　parade　their　own　enlightenment　in　the　ways　of　governing　before　the　people　（a　very　common　practice　in　election　campaign　speeches）；　to　prove　their　fitness　to　rule。　Inevitably；　such　nonsense　will　be　exposed；　because　it　traps　itself　in　its　own　complex　net　of　lies。
  Lao　Tzu　offers　a　more　practical　and　resonant　approach　to　leadership；　which　accords　with　his　teaching　on　personal　governance：　〃remaining　aware　of　the　alternatives。〃　It　is　to　be　noted　that　he　does　not　speak　in　terms　of　〃remaining　aware　of　the　opposites；〃　because　he　is　trying　to　lead　us　past　an　apparent　paradox。　To　live　well　（and　to　lead　well）　by　living　simply　is　not　to　reduce　every　course　of　action　to　diametrically　opposed　paths；　but　to　nurture　one's　own　inner　ability　to　feel　and　balance　an　entire　range　of　alternatives。　For　when　every　decision　is　reduced　to　one　of　two　opposing　options　（the　Republican　way　or　the　Democratic　way；　to　attack　or　to　resort　to　diplomacy；　to　tax　and　spend　or　to　offer　tax　breaks）；　a　broad　spectrum　of　possibility　is　ignored。　It　is　within　that　very　spectrum　that　the　correct　solution　usually　lies；　and　not　at　the　polar　extremes　of　choice。　When　we　are　reduced　to　governing　from　within　the　realm　of　opposites；　then　trickery　and　manipulation　are　required　to　divert　the　people　from　following　the　way　of　common　sense　and　inner　clarity。　Lao　Tzu　is　asking　the　modern　leader；　〃why　waste　or　repress　resources　that　will　make　your　job　infinitely　easier？〃　For　when　the　Sage　is　allowed　to　lead；　then　much　of　the　work　of　governing　tends　to　happen　by　itself；　through　the　〃natural　virtue〃　of　each　individual。　This　process　leads　the　nation　to　the　harmony　in　which　true　leadership　spontaneously　occurs；　this　is　the　〃simple　innocence〃　of　which　the　poet　speaks。
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  Breadth　of　river；　depth　of　sea…
  How　is　it　that　they　seem　to　rule　the　world？
  Because　they　can　infiltrate　a　kingdom；
  Or　plumb　the　depths　of　a　ravine；
  And　give　life　to　the　hundred　fertile　valleys。
  In　leading　others；　learn　first　to　follow。
  In　speech；　let　your　words　find　their　own　level。
  To　lead　the　people；　learn　to　nourish　them。
  Let　the　Sage　be　your　model：
  It　dwells　in　leadership
  Without　the　oppression　of　superiority。
  It　dwells　in　leadership；
  Yet　the　Sage　offends　no　one。
  Thus　is　it　honored　by　all　who　approach　it；
  For　it　never　exhausts　them。
  It　is　sublime；　benevolent：
  And　therefore　no　one　competes　with　it。
  Lao　Tzu　here　continues　his　discussion　of　the　theme　of　leadership　from　the　previous　poem。　When　leaders　of　the　people　allow　the　Sage　to　guide　them　in　their　work；　they　become　like　water。　It　doesn't　calculate　its　flowing　course；　but　simply　follows　the　shape　of　the　land　wherever　it　leads；　whether　through　a　king's　domain　or　into　the　depths　of　a　ravine。　As　it　travels；　the　water　nourishes　the　land　that　receives　it；　in　a　dance　of　complementarity：　the　land　provides　the　space　and　direction　for　the　water's　movement；　and　the　water　returns　to　it　the　elements　necessary　for　fertile　growth。　Thus　does　the　poet　advise　leaders：　〃learn　first　to　follow；〃　and　then　〃learn　to　nourish。〃　In　nature；　neither　the　water　nor　the　land　put　on　airs　of　superiority；　control；　or　command；　but　each　provides　the　other　what　it　needs　to　realize　its　destiny。　This　is　the　way　to　lead　people：　follow　the　shape　of　their　needs　and　circumstances；　and　then　ask　for　the　guidance　of　the　Sage　in　providing　them　the　direction　and　sustenance　they　need　to　fulfill　their　destiny。　Thus；　you　will　not　offend　them；　because　they　will　not　perceive　you　as　a　superior；　and　you　will　never　exhaust　them；　because　they　will　not　see　you　as　a　competitive　force。　This　is　the　way　of　true　benevolence。
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  People　think　the　Tao　extraordinary；
  And　tell　me；　搘hat　a　wonder　you　have　made！？br》　Perhaps　the　only　wonder　is
  That　we　should　think　it　extraordinary　at　all。
  For　if　it　were　truly　a　mere
  Treasure　of　the　imagination；
  Then　it　would　be　as　good　as　worthless。
  I　have　but　three　pearls
  That　I　keep　and　cherish：
  The　first　is　love；
  The　second　is　avoiding　excess；
  The　third　is　modesty。
  When　these　three　lead；　the　true　self　follows。
  Love　can　thereby　be　fearless；
  Excess　negated　can　thus　be　generous；
  Modesty　can　therefore　lead　the　world；
  And　help　its　life　force　to　endure。
  But　today　the　ego　has　renounced　pure　love；
  And　elevated　empty　chivalry；
  It　has　wasted　moderation
  By　exalting　lavishness；
  It　has　abandoned　modesty
  For　the　sake　of　renown。
  This　is　to　walk　the　path　of　death。
  Enter　a　conflict　with　love　still　alive；
  For　its　defense　is　stronger
  Than　the　highest　wall　can　ever　provide。
  The　Tao；　of　course；　is　not　at　all　extraordinary梠nly　ego　makes　it　so。　Tao　is　the　ordinary；　normal　way　of　life　and　being　within　the　cosmos。　Lao　Tzu　didn't　create　the　Tao梚t　is　not　a　figment　of　his　imagination；　nor　some　cosmological　theory　he　invented；　nor　a　pleasant　but　idle　puddle　of　poetic　fancy。　Tao　is　Lao　Tzu's　name　for　the　living　Consciousness　that　we　can　experience　through　our　inner　life；　and　Te　（Modesty）　is　a　word　for　how　that　experience　can　transform　both　the　outer　and　inner　aspects　of　our　lives。　Lao　Tzu　is　again　encouraging　us　to　〃negate　the　excess〃　of　fixed　beliefs　and　attitudes　toward　life　and　the　cosmos；　and　experience　Tao　for　ourselves；　within　ourselves梩o　see　how　this　living　but　impersonal　Presence　finds　voice　and　substance　within　the　unique　vessel　of　each　true　self梖or　where　it　leads；　the　true　self　follows。
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  The　natural　fighter　spurns　aggression；
  For　a　war　cannot　be　won　in　vengeance。
  He　defeats　his　enemy　by　discarding　enmity。
  A　skillful　manager　directs　the　work
  By　humbly　serving　those　who　do　it。
  This　is　called　natural　Modesty：
  It　gets　things　done　without　striving；
  And　lets　each　individual　achieve　his　destiny。
  Though　the　world　may　call　it　great；
  It　is　simply　the　surpassing　of　greatness。
  In　the　inner　war；　a　spirit　of　vengeance　inflames　and　empowers　the　demons　of　ego；　since　it　casts　us　headlong　into　the　bloody　hell　of　opposition。　This　undermines　the　goal　of　self…development；　which　is　to　kill　and　transform　the　demonic　consciousness　of　acculturation。　To　manage　such　a　war　correct